Every area in North Carolina, highest rent first
| Area | Type | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms |
|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Metro | $1,596 | $1,750 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | Metro | $1,512 | $1,713 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | Metro | $1,507 | $1,711 |
| Gates County, NC | Metro | $1,513 | $1,709 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Metro | $1,538 | $1,686 |
| Wilmington, NC | Metro | $1,513 | $1,659 |
| Asheville, NC | Metro | $1,429 | $1,567 |
| Dare County, NC | County | $1,305 | $1,430 |
| Brunswick County, NC | Metro | $1,301 | $1,426 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | Metro | $1,239 | $1,358 |
| Burlington, NC | Metro | $1,230 | $1,348 |
| Iredell County, NC | Metro | $1,222 | $1,340 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | Metro | $1,213 | $1,330 |
| Camden County, NC | Metro | $1,139 | $1,287 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Metro | $1,113 | $1,251 |
| Goldsboro, NC | Metro | $948 | $1,244 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Metro | $1,082 | $1,232 |
| Haywood County, NC | County | $1,122 | $1,230 |
| Chowan County, NC | County | $930 | $1,220 |
| Pasquotank County, NC | County | $927 | $1,216 |
| Granville County, NC | County | $1,084 | $1,200 |
| Carteret County, NC | County | $913 | $1,198 |
| Rowan County, NC | Metro | $958 | $1,196 |
| Craven County, NC | County | $902 | $1,184 |
| Watauga County, NC | County | $988 | $1,177 |
| Jacksonville, NC | Metro | $935 | $1,173 |
| Pender County, NC | Metro | $1,064 | $1,166 |
| Transylvania County, NC | County | $887 | $1,164 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | Metro | $918 | $1,143 |
| Anson County, NC | Metro | $867 | $1,138 |
| Lee County, NC | County | $880 | $1,136 |
| Greenville, NC | Metro | $896 | $1,095 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Metro | $908 | $1,095 |
| Pamlico County, NC | County | $866 | $1,077 |
| Lincoln County, NC | Metro | $953 | $1,054 |
| Bertie County, NC | County | $796 | $1,044 |
| Rockingham County, NC | Metro | $793 | $1,040 |
| Clay County, NC | County | $948 | $1,039 |
| Wilson County, NC | County | $794 | $1,025 |
| Avery County, NC | County | $766 | $1,005 |
| Perquimans County, NC | County | $804 | $999 |
| Hoke County, NC | Metro | $761 | $998 |
| Macon County, NC | County | $830 | $987 |
| Polk County, NC | County | $829 | $983 |
| Duplin County, NC | County | $747 | $980 |
| Harnett County, NC | County | $810 | $980 |
| Alleghany County, NC | County | $745 | $978 |
| Vance County, NC | County | $743 | $975 |
| Northampton County, NC | County | $741 | $972 |
| Jackson County, NC | County | $879 | $964 |
| Davidson County, NC | Metro | $876 | $960 |
| Person County, NC | Metro | $744 | $948 |
| Hyde County, NC | County | $756 | $940 |
| Cherokee County, NC | County | $713 | $935 |
| Yancey County, NC | County | $713 | $935 |
| Ashe County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Beaufort County, NC | County | $737 | $925 |
| Bladen County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Caswell County, NC | County | $748 | $925 |
| Cleveland County, NC | County | $763 | $925 |
| Columbus County, NC | County | $722 | $925 |
| Graham County, NC | County | $844 | $925 |
| Greene County, NC | County | $823 | $925 |
| Halifax County, NC | County | $742 | $925 |
| Hertford County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Jones County, NC | County | $752 | $925 |
| Lenoir County, NC | County | $732 | $925 |
| McDowell County, NC | County | $790 | $925 |
| Martin County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Mitchell County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Montgomery County, NC | County | $794 | $925 |
| Richmond County, NC | County | $814 | $925 |
| Robeson County, NC | County | $748 | $925 |
| Rutherford County, NC | County | $806 | $925 |
| Sampson County, NC | County | $806 | $925 |
| Scotland County, NC | County | $755 | $925 |
| Stanly County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Surry County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Swain County, NC | County | $813 | $925 |
| Tyrrell County, NC | County | $744 | $925 |
| Warren County, NC | County | $705 | $925 |
| Washington County, NC | County | $744 | $925 |
| Wilkes County, NC | County | $793 | $925 |
Metro areas cover several counties under one Fair Market Rent; nonmetropolitan counties each get their own. The typical (middle) 2-bedroom FMR across North Carolina's 83 areas is $998.
Income needed to rent in North Carolina
To keep rent and utilities within 30% of gross income, the federal line for housing cost burden, a household needs about $39,920 a year ($19.19 an hour, full time) to afford the typical 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $998 in North Carolina. That ranges from about $37,000 in Wilkes County, NC to $70,000 in Raleigh-Cary, NC.
Fair Market Rents are benchmarks, not listings: HUD sets them at the 40th percentile of gross rent for standard-quality units, so newer apartments and the most popular neighborhoods usually cost more. Use the rent affordability calculator to compare your own income with any area.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fair market rent in North Carolina?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom ranges from $925 (Wilkes County, NC) to $1,750 (Raleigh-Cary, NC) across 83 areas in North Carolina. The middle area in the state is about $998.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026. Our data.